Stanfest performance; photo courtesy Stanfest.com
The warden of the Municipality of the District of Guysborough says he’s not happy Stanfest organizers are holding a smaller event elsewhere.
Organizers of the Stan Rogers Folk Festival cancelled their traditional July event in Canso due to COVID-19 for the second year in a row.
In its place, they’ve announced five concerts at the deCoste Performing Arts Centre in Pictou for 100 live spectators and unlimited online tickets.
After June’s regular municipal council meeting Wednesday afternoon, Vernon Pitts, Guysborough’s warden, said they’re very displeased.
“When we turn around and take a community idea, and we leave the area with that idea to utilize it elsewhere, based upon former residents of that municipal unit, to me that’s a low blow.”
Pitts said he only just heard of the Pictou performances Wednesday.
He said he understands the complexities of holding any type of event during a global pandemic, but they still don’t like the move away from Canso.
“Everything seems to be turned over on its head, but we as a council don’t think it was a good move on (their) behalf,” he said. “We think it’s basically a slap in the face to (their) community.”
Pitts said councillors voted to send a letter to Troy Greencorn, one of the organizers of the event, for more insight into the decision.
He said they instructed Barry Carroll, the municipality’s chief administrative officer, to call Greencorn in advance of the letter.
